Tick-Tock.
by Casshirek
Summary: I have never played the game but I've fallen in love with it, unfortunately. While the White Rabbit *is* one of the good guys, can't help but imagine him as an incognito semi-secret agent thingie. Well, I hope you like it. ^^ Review, please.


Title: Tick-Tock  
  
Author: Casshirek  
  
Summary: Uncanonical as it might sound, this is something of a what-if tale rather than a concrete depiction of what happened in the game. I never played it, yes, so I apologize for errors. The White Rabbit, from what I saw, is depicted as the good guy, in a way. But what-if he was guided not by the goodness of his heart but something else? This works if this is the case. Otherwise. Well, enjoy. All material is copyrighted to appropriate owners of American McGee's Alice and Lewis Caroll. And in case anyone was wondering about the fic, yes, it was inspired by Maggie Griffin's -incredible- "Time is Running Out" fic that revolves around the Mad Hatter. Hats off to her for being so inspirational. ^.^ Ideas, hopefully, were not borrowed, save for inspiration and a few vague similarities. -.- Am not copycat. ;.; Wagh.  
  
Musn't be late.  
  
So many appointments, so little time. I so wish I could stop but I cannot. I must keep moving no matter what. The clock is ticking -- hurry, hurry. Even in my sleep, I hear my golden pocketwatch. In my dreams, it shouts: wake up and move!  
  
I have a very important date!  
  
With the March Hare and the Mad Hatter for a spot of tea, with the Duchess to see her loathsome pig-baby, with the Chesire Cat to debate reality, and the Queen, one musn't forget the queen, to witness her coronation aniversary.  
  
The landscape blurs as I run, colours melting together. A rainbow of grassy greens, crystalline blues and brown path guide me to where I must go. And the watch, it is always singing to me in that sweet voice of its: tick- tock, tick-tock.  
  
I musn't be late!  
  
But wait - I see something wrong. My world is of a different hue. The sky is no longer so bright, the land is no longer so green. Shadows chase my footsteps, wiping away all traces of my past. Hungry eyes watch. They see me now, they are blind together. But I cannot stop, not even as change sweeps over me.  
  
Pain!  
  
Painpainpain - there is nowhere to run. Everywhere, there is fire, inside and out, and I try to scream but nothing can force itself free from my throat. It burns. I burn. Wonderland burns.  
  
Make it stop!  
  
And inside my head, someone asks me: what price will you pay?  
  
Will you give me your eyes?  
  
Yes. But make the pain stop.  
  
Your soul?  
  
Yes!  
  
Will you give me Alice?  
  
Alice. I remember her. I led her down the hole into the Wonderland of her dreams. Everything was bright back then (fireburnshottermustmakemydecision) and happy. And things weren't quite insane. Alice, the little girl with eyes like the grass, and hair so dark and smooth it was like midnight silk.  
  
I cannot give you, Alice.  
  
The pain escalates.  
  
Give me Alice.  
  
No! I cannot but my pocketwatch, my coat, and my beautiful fur .. oh, is there any left? I cannot give you Alice. No, I love her more dearly than all of this and yes, even Time who will wait for me no longer because I cannot run. I cannot give you Alice.  
  
The voice comes again:  
  
You have no choice.  
  
And something inside my head snaps. Do you know that little glittery bubble that is everything you are? That precious jewel that hides all your secrets and hopes, that little pearl of existance that makes you wake up and say you want to live today. It snaps. It is snatched away from me. I feel the shimmery dust and I cannot scream no to everything that pours through my head.  
  
Oh, Alice. I am so sorry.  
  
I cannot see, everything is fading, and there is only the screaming pocketwatch in my head. I cannot feel, I cannot do anything. I am trapped inside here. I am a vehicle. I do not exist. But wait, what is this - I see something here. The jewel is not gone. Not completely gone. Glimmering ashes remain. And when I pick it up in my mind, I see you. They can't take this away from me. No. They can take everything away from me but not *this*.  
  
Alice, Alice ..  
  
I love you but I cannot save you.  
  
But I will not be the one to destroy you.  
  
* * *  
  
Tick-tock.  
  
"Musn't be late, Alice. Musn't be late."  
  
Tick-tock.  
  
"Where are we going to, White Rabbit?"  
  
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.  
  
"Back to Wonderland, of course. Where else would be go? Musn't be late. We've a very important date!"  
  
Tick. Tock. 


End file.
